Talks aim to strike devolution deal

Thursday 25 January 2007 00:03 BST

Intense behind-the-scenes negotiations are taking place to cobble together a new power sharing deal involving the Reverend Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams.

Following Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain's decision to sign the order forcing the new Assembly to appoint a devolved government, Stormont sources confirmed talks were taking place to agree a new date for power sharing.

The discussions involving the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein follow the declaration from the Reverend Ian Paisley's party that it could not form a new Stormont executive of unionists and nationalists by the power sharing deadline.

"The situation is at a delicate stage," one source said. "As things stand, Peter Hain has set the clock for devolution. However, efforts are going on behind the scenes to get Sinn Fein and the DUP to agree to a deal which will see devolution take place in the not too distant future.

"If it can be done, there may be no need for a plenary session of the Assembly to nominate ministers. In fact, I think if that plenary session goes ahead and the process of nominating ministers begins, we are in a very bad situation."

Earlier, Peter Hain signalled he was willing to listen to the Northern Ireland parties if they could strike a deal on a new path to devolution.

He acknowledged that the commitment given by the DUP to share power with Sinn Fein some time in May was an advance.

"This is the first time the DUP has said they will share power with Sin Fein," he observed. "People said this would never happen and it is a breakthrough."

While Sinn Fein expressed dismay and disappointment at the DUP's refusal to form a power sharing administration immediately, party leader Gerry Adams has held open the door for the DUP to put its alternative plan to his and to other parties.

Nationalist SDLP leader Mark Durkan said Sinn Fein could seek more concessions in exchange for a delay. "There is a real danger that any new legislation will leave us in a twilight zone where no doubt Sinn Fein will look for more concessions in return for the legislation and the DUP will use those concessions as a further excuse for avoiding sharing power," he said.